Nuts May Help Cut Diabetes Risk

Source: Tufts University
January 17, 2003 (Reviewed: January 21, 2005)

There's now more evidence that people who regularly eat nuts are healthier than those who don't. An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association links intake of nuts and peanut butter with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes in women.

Diet analysis

Harvard researchers analyzed the usual diets of more than 83,000 women, and tallied their intake of nuts and peanut butter several times over a 14-year period. They were looking for a connection between intake of these foods and the development of type 2 diabetes.

After accounting for other factors that influence the risk of diabetes - including body weight and exercise - the researchers found that the women who regularly consumed at least 1 oz of nuts per week were almost 20% less likely than women who rarely ate nuts to develop type 2 diabetes. Similar results were seen in those who ate peanut butter at least 5 times a week.

What makes nuts so good for you?

The health benefits of nuts may come both from what they add to the diet and what they replace. Nuts are good sources of magnesium and fiber; both have been shown to help the body use insulin more efficiently, a step that would reduce diabetes risk. They are also a prime source of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats - the 'heart healthy' kind - which may also help the body better regulate insulin.

Keep in mind, though, that the women who regularly ate nuts were eating them instead of other foods. Those who consumed the most nuts tended to eat less meat and fewer refined grain foods when compared with others in the study. They also tended to eat less trans fat - an unhealthy type of fat commonly found in commercial baked goods and stick margarine.

Diet is only part of the answer

Eating well was only part of what the healthiest women in this study were doing right. Those who ate the most nuts, on average, weighed less than others in the study. They were also less likely to smoke and more likely to exercise. All of these healthy habits - plus a diet that included nuts and peanut butter - helped to make them less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

This highlights the point that type 2 diabetes is largely due to lifestyle factors such as weight and physical activity. Maintaining a healthy weight and getting regular exercise go a long way toward keeping this disease under control.

Source

• Nut and peanut butter consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes in women. R. Jiang, J. Manson, M. Stampfer,  et al., JAMA, 2002, vol. 288, pp. 2554--2560

Related Links
Nuts Linked to Heart Health in Men
High-Fiber Grains Protect Against Diabetes
Healthful Habits Can Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
To quickly access additional accurate information on this and other nutrition-related topics, visit Tufts University's Nutrition Navigator

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